Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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166. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the incentives that he is providing for renewable and innovative lower carbon solutions to food production. [61285/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In order to achieve the required level of uptake, funding will need to be put in place. Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) for the period 2023 to 2027 has an indicative financial allocation of €9.8bn. 

Almost 60% of the funding (€5.976bn) will be paid to farmers in the form of direct income supports and is fully funded by the EU. The remaining €3.86bn - which funds rural development interventions - is co-funded, with the EU contributing €1.56bn and a further €2.88bn contributed by the national exchequer (including circa €720m of carbon tax funding up to 2027). 

The CSP will make a contribution to achieving our climate targets, including through a €1.5 billion Agri-Environment scheme, Acres, the provision of €250 million to support a dramatic expansion in Organic farming and investment supports for solar energy at farm level. 

I have also recently announced an unprecedented €1.3 billion for a forestry program, for which we are currently seeking State Aid Approval from the EU Commission.